“Form follows function” is a popular saying.

It seems to be true based on the subjective viewpoint of personal desire. That is, when one desires a certain function, one creates a form that will function in that manner. (e.g. we create a chair to sit on.)

But from an objective perspective, it seems that function could follow form. That is, a function is non-existent until some form arises that exhibits the function. (e.g. the function of “eating” did not exist until a form that could eat came into being.)

So does form follow function or does function follow form?

Both.

Function follows form in a natural setting. Form follows function from a creative perspective.

Don't know, Don't give a hoot. I never understood the meaning of that saying.

Somehow this makes me think of Voltaire and his quote "behold, the nose is formed perfectly for spectacles."

i'll go with both as well. who comes up with these "sayings" such as "form follows function" i've often wondered. glass half full, half empty? dang if it ain't both too. a watched pot never boils? heat water to 212 degrees and watch it boil.

Both!

Form follows function. It is common design criteria in millions of items. It probably was made famous in contempory times in architecture (Falling Water, etc.) but it has applications in everything from a toaster to the space shuttle.

Why aren't doorknobs placed at eye level?

Same reason you shouldn't get a Red Ryder BB gun.

Lost me on that one. Doorknobs could be located many places but are where thay are to maximize opening force for the door at the most natural location for the average adult human hand.

Laughed out loud at that one.

I agree, but Bushi makes a good point. It seems that form follows function only in purposeful design. But in those cases where there is (apparently) no purposeful design, then form follows function.

Although, it must be admitted that in those cases, the reason for assuming the form follows the function is because there is no known purposeful design.

So maybe form does always follow function and the only reason we assume differently is because we can't see a purpose.

My cat goes to the door and she reaches up towards the door knob with her right paw. Then she turns around and looks at me. She says, "MEOW!" Then she looks back up at the door knob and reaches for it again.

Does she want to know why it is so high and why she can't open the door? Not really. She knows it was made for humans. She wants me to open the door for her.

If someone could invent a door knob for cats I'm quite sure they would learn how to use them.

Okay so I saw a video of this cat who was trained to use the toilet. This cat even turned around and flushed the toilet after it was finished. I was impressed.

I lived in a second story apartment and I was tired of cleaning cat litter, so I bought this kit to train my cat to use the toilet. It required a plastic bucket that you hung over the toilet bowel and you put kitty litter in it and the cat would learn to use it. Then you gradually removed the kitty litter. The cat would eventually go in the plastic bucket with no kitty litter in it. Then, you just removed the plastic bucket, and the cat would continue to go in the toilet.

There was a problem. Seems like when I wanted to use the toilet the cat was using it.

I decided I did not want to have to wait in my own house while my cat used the toilet. I went back to using the kitty litter.

Of course if you have two bathrooms you can each have your own.

If a Red Ryder BB gun "creates" cowboys, would "Whack-a-mole" create serial killers?

Central quote from the movie featuring the Red Ryder BB gun:

"You'll shoot your eye out!!!"

Either way, you'll put your eye out with that thing!


Massagetrade and I went down the same road, apparently...

Again... the question is... did the form follow the function?

My cat did learn how to use the door knob. {In this cse it was a lever-type.) After watching us push the handle down to open the door a number of times, he reached up and pulled the lever. To his delight the door swung open. But he knew he wasn't allowed in.